Concrete wall and block construction



Nov. 16 1926.

K. BADER CONCRETE WALL AND BLOCK CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 18, 1926 w W 237. 2 5a j T 6 v fl m W 0 0 7%. g 3 @1 i: J; a 6 5m c mw i if #IL INVENTORJ Y Patented Nov. 16, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

KURT BAUER, CF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CONCRETE WALL AND BLOCK CONSTRUCTEON.

Application filed January 18, 1926.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in concrete wall constructions and to blocks for use in the erection of such walls.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a novelconstruction of building blocks or units whereby a concrete wall of superior type and durability may be pro duced without the use of skil'ed labor, and in which wall the component parts are so bound and interlocked as to secure maximum reinforcement, allowing a wall of great strength to be made with the use of a minimum amount of material and without the necessity of making the wall of undue thickness, as comparedwith walls constructed of brick or other building materials.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wall construction composed in part of preformed books and in part of concrete molded in situ within and between the blocks themselves so as to form an internal binding and reinforcing structure whereby the opposed surfaces of the individual blocks of the same and adjacent courses are not only cemented together but the blocks of the courses throughout are internally united by a skeleton wall of the material molded in situ, the laid blocks being so constructed as to constitute the mold in which said internal reinforcing wall is formed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a construction of the blocks which will permit of the use and ready and free introduction of ordinary concrete in wet or plastic condition for the formation of the internal reinforcing wall, and whereby an internalreinforcing wall of suflicient inherent strength to provide against fracture may be produced, and one which will be self-sustaining without the use of metal reinforcing or with theuse of a minimum amount of reinforcing means of such character.

A still further object of the invention is to provide for the construction of corner angles without the use of angular corner blocks. H H I The invention: consists of the: features of Serial No. 82,063.

construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a wall formed of blocks constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudina section throu h a portion of the wall on an enlarged scale showing the same before the interstices between the blocks are filled by the internal concrete binder or reinforcement. 7

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the binder material filled in.

Figure 4; is a horizontal section on line l-i of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical section on line 55 of Figure 2 through a corner portion of the wal Figure 6 is a detail section on line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the ordinary full-sized wall blocks Figure 8 is a similar view of a special block.

Figure 9 is a similar view of a corner block.

Figure 10 is a similar view of a modified form of block.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates a portion of a wall structure built of concrete blocks or units and with an internal reinforcement 111 ac cordance with my invention. The blocks or units, as shown, consist of ordinary full length blocks 2, half blocks 3, corner blocks 4 and special floor beam supporting blocks 5. In addition to these, there may be em ployed keystone blocks, sill blocks and other special blocks as commonly employed in wall constructions and to suit varying con ditions in the erection of specifically different designs of walls orbuildings.

. All. the blockssarepreformed or molded fromconcrete. Each block 2 is of rectangular formationandis providedwith front and rearfaces 6 and 7 which may be smooth or have any desired rough surface configura tion. The top 8, bottom 9an d ends 10 of the block are formed with. grooves 0 r cess-1 '0 nice iuul flanges 12, or coin aretivelv narrow width so iove will be comparatively wide in order that it may receive an effective 2%10dnt of binding material, as hereinafter described. The grooves are preferably slightl v flared in the (,lll'QCllU ll tc-vsa d the body of the blot-h, so the in" sort-use of each {hinge slopes on u e incline toward they are i which are that errh the hilch liod).. thus in ra each thing-e ui tlllCAllLES to 11-. its ease toi.

) i a 'u'li lo the 'l'oi' auatio V under unequal exp di lit-P17011 portio' vided in the body extending from t between the up This slot ll more and 01 2e length of mine; at he is oi the same structural formation as the 2. ditleri therefrom only in size, the 3 being used at points in the wall conion Where intervening spaces to be filled of a length shorter than the full length blocks. {'liiuilur blocks of other reduced sizes no also be i used in the erection of walls or l'iuildi deviating to a tor or less extent from the unitary principles of ineasu nent of the blocks.

Fri-ch mocl: lis a corner hlock oi special Wall eniljioiilvinog the characteristic of my invention While ti'i'lifilllig the we of angular corner blocks to dispensed with. As own each block 4; is provided with :1 srnr ,1 or rough finished front surface 15 a plus or finished end s ca 16, '1 rear sur face I} and grooved top bottom and end surfaces 18,19 and 20 having the grooves 11 and flanges 12 conforming to the grooves flanges oil the blocks El. and also provided with o slotv 2'0 conforming to the slot 13. The only ditl c 'one-v in 6- :rral construction between the block 2 and block l is that the top and bottom grooves of the block 4 are closed at the end 16 by end flanges 21, and said block 4 is provided in its rear face with a groove 22 disposed atone side of its verticel eenten vhich groove intersects t.1e and bottom rooves 11 adjace'i 16 the top and bottom flanges H away a such points a distance Width of the groove 22.

Each block 5 is similar in general onof its vertical centm.

eis

on opposite si .1 inte secting the top and bottom grooves ll, the-root. The block is also provided vvitl l :1 recess 2i owning through its rear face and through the top of the block and closed at it. base ii a Wall portion The bio-cits are designed to form elements of courses in null from \v the ends oi t iecesscsr 22; min v suppersl'ioulders for-inc l l,;, the null porti ns lo this hock stru .-;ure an integral Web 26 lies between the o T ings and into this Web 2 the recess extends, allowing a beanji re ceiving recess of required depth to be formed in the block Without uiduly weakening the latter.

In the operation of constructing a wall from blocks made in accordance with my invention, tle blocks are laid. like brick in courses as usual with the blocks or the sup-criniposed cou arranged to break joint with each other. In general the full length blocl-zs 2 are employed esclusivelv in ouch cours except where the nature of the (3, requires the use (it the halt blocks 9. th

blocks 4 being placed at the corners of the structure andthe blocks 5 set in the required course or courses between blocks 2 at the points where the ends of the floor beams. joist or the like are to he received and supported.

In the erection of such a Wal the blocl' 2 or 2 and 3 when laid will have their end por tions abutting so that their top and bottom grooves 11 lie in the longitudinal alineinent and so that their end grooves 11. will be closed at the front and rear by nhuttinc; contact oi the end flanges 12 and will form :1 vertical passage between the grooves at tl top and bottom of the adjoining blocksv The horizon al grooves in "he ton and bottom of each course of blocks will also regis ter with grooves of he underlying and overlying courses, which Will he cl. sed bv the top and bottom then s at the trout and rear of the blocks and loll'llllfllllfll will form will also so dispose the blocks t 13 of the blocks 2 and 3 r the pass;- of the bloekS .5 W111 connect with tli vermenses tical and longitudinal passages between the top and bottom faces and end faces of the staggered blocks of adjoining courses. The

courses whenlaid will thus have communieating passages between all the surfaces of the blocks thereof, and these passages, because of the special formation of the blocks above-described, will be comparatively large sized so that a filler of a binding material 27 may be received therein. This filler may consist of a wet or plastic concrete mixture, of such a consistency as to prevent shrinkage, which may be introduced after each course is laid or after two or more courses are laid according to the degree of the fluidity or plasticity of the mixture used. The mixture employed may be of aroper plasticity to permit it to be applied y means of trowels, a pump or force gun or other suitable means or implements or other consistency to adapt it to be poured in place. By reason of the structural formation of the blocks, however, the passages are of such size as to permit of the ready introduction of concrete of ordinary character or ordinary richness, so that mixtures as rich as grout need not be employed, and whereby an efficient binding action may be obtained by the use of an economical. kind of binder. This is a desirable and important advantage of my construction, but, of course, a rich binding mixture may be used if desiret. When the wall is erected and the binding medium sets, it will be seen that awall construction is provided in which the wall is formed partly of assembled preformed or molded concrete units and partly of an inferior unitary mass molded in situ within the blocks, the blocks themselves forming a mold in which such mass is shaped to pro ide a skeleton internal binding and reinforcing structure. This internal binding and reinforcing structure will, by reason of the block structures described, extend between all the faces of the blocks as well. as through the blocks, so that manifold surfaces of the blocks will be embedded therein and bound thereby. A wall structure of great simplicity is thereby produced which is of composite concrete type,the block units giving proper dimensions and surface finishes and configurations to the walls, while the internal bracing structure locks all the assembled units together and forms a skeleton framework which is itself self-sustain,- ing and supported, adding greatly to, the strength of the formed wall. The advantage of such a wall construction is that the elements to be as embled maybe set up by the use of unskilled labor, and no special skill is required in the. filling in of the binding medium, so that such a well maybe erected at a very low cost.. The construction of the block units, in, addition to adapting them to be employed with a reinforcing binder/in. the manner described, also enables blocks of light. weight and containing a comparatively small amount of material to be made, ensuring cheapness of production well as a reduction of cost in handling and. shipment. It will be observed that the described formation of the grooves, slots or passages and the flanges and parting walls of the blocks is such that grooves and slots or passages of large size are provided, that, if desired, a coarse binder may be used and will readily pass therethrough and thereinto. while at the same time permitting a greater amount of the lower cost binding material to he used with the result of securing greater economy in the construction of the wall.

llt will be readily understood from the foregoing that the passages 23 of the blocks .3 register with the slots and passages formed by the cndygrooves of certain of the overlying and underlying blocks of adjoining courses l'Je-aring joint therewith.

In the use of the corner blocks a these blocks, by reason of their construction, may be laid at the corners so that they will form full blocks in one wall side and half blocks at the intersecting wall side, this use being permitted by reason of the fact that the surface 16 of the block is of one-half the width of the surface 15. Hence, as occasion may require, the corner block may be arranged so that it may be interchangeably used as a full block or half block to face in either direction at the juncture of two wall sides. hen disposed so that its face 15 is used at one wall side, in which. it is employed as a full block its end face 16 will be exposed as a half block at the adjoining wall side and its recess 22- will be disposed to alinewith the grooved end of a terminal block on the latter-named wall side, thus enabling it to be employed in conjunction with the other blocks and united in the wall structure by the binding material. Such construction of the corner blocks is advantageous, not only from the foregoing standpoints. but also because by their use the use of angular corner blocks which are awkward to handle, pack and ship, and subject to ready breakage, may be dispensed with and a corner block of the same general external configuration as the other blocks employed, so that all the blocks may be handled and transported with greater convenience and economy.

Figure 1.0 shows a form of block 2 which 'may be used under some conditions, such block being snnrlar in general sc nstruction to the block 3, but having, in lieu of the slot 13, a pair of vertical openings 23 and a central opening 27, the former being of greater diameter than the latter. lVith this construction the opening 27 is designed to leg ister with the passages between the grooved ends of blocks of an overlying or underlying course and the openings 23 to register with the similar openings 28 of overlying or underlying blocks or with slots 13 of blocks 2 if the two forms of blocks are used in the wall construction.

My invention provides a wall construction which admits of the laying of blocks either with their flanges 12 and 16 lying directly in contact for the formation of a smooth-surfaced wall without mortar showing at the joints, or with their said flanges spaced to show mortared joints of any desired depth,

while at the same time securing a firm bonding of all the blocks at both the sides and corners of the wall. This is due to the general formation of the blocks and particularly to the novel and peculiar construction of the corner blocks at. YVhen it is desired to lay a smooth-surfaced wall, the top and bottom faces of superposed tiers of block are laid with heir opposed flanges 12 and 16 in contact the mortar in this case being fille in to occupy the openings 13, 20, 23, and 27 and the grooves in the abutting blocl; faces. ll'ith this construction it will be seen that as the openings and grooves in the blocks of the side walls communicate with each other, a monolithic inner wall formed by the mortar or cement will be produced which will bond all the blocks together. In addition, as the rear grooves 22 of the corner blocks l open into their top and bottom grooves 11, these grooves'22 will connect sa d grooves 11 of the corner blocks in one side of the wall with the end grooves and top and bottom grooves of blocks 2 and 8 of another side of the wall, where the walls have a corner or angle-intersection, thus binding the blocks of the sides across the corner or angle intersection, which, in this manner of laying, would not be the case if the grooves 22 of the corner blocks were not in communication with the top and bottom grooves of said blocks. The same effect is obtained when the blocks are spaced to a greater degree for a face showing of the mortar at the oints, except that a still greater cross bonding action is obtained by the increased depth of the mortar. By this means the monolithic interior construction is rendered continuous and without break, even at the corners, so that full sized blocks may be used at the corners without bonding break, whereby a wall of superior appearance and greater than usual strength may be built without added cost. I

Any suitable number of blocks in a wall may be provided with anchor members 28 (see Figure l) consisting of wooden blocks or strips to which metallic or other lathing or supports therefor may be nailed, when an air space or double wall structure is to he provided or building sheathed and plastered Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. In a building construction, a block of rectangular formation having longitudinally extending grooves in its top and bottom faces and a groove in one of its end faces opening into the top and bottom grooves at one end only of the block, said top and bot-- tom grooves being closed at the opposite end of the block, a passage extending through the body of the block between the top and bottom grooves, and a groove in the rear face of the block opening into the top and bottom grooves on one side of the center of the block adjacent to said closed ends of said top and bottom grooves.

2. In a building construction, a block of rectangular formation having longitudinally extending grooves in its top and bottom 'ia es, a vertical groove in one of its end faces intersecting the top and bottom grooves, a passageextending through the body of the block between the top and bottom grooves, a vertical groove in the rear face of the block, longitudinally extending top and bottom flanges at the front of the block forming the front walls of the top and bottom grooves, vertical flanges at the front and rear of the grooved end of the block forming the front and rear walls of said groove at such end of the block, horizontal transverse top and bottom flanges at the opposite ends of the block closing the top and bottom grooves at that end of the block, said top and bottom grooves being continuous between said transverse flanges and the firstnamed grooved end of the block, a vertical flange at the rear of the block continuous with said top and bottom transverse flanges and forming the outer wall of the vertical groove in the rear face of the block, and horizontal longitudinal top and bottom flanges at the rear of the block continuous with the vertical flanges at the grooved end of the block and forming the inner walls of the top and bottom grooves, said rear longitudinal flanges being cut away to form lateral passages connecting the ends of the vertical rear groove with the longitudinal top and bottom grooves.

33. A building lock haviir grooves in its top, bottom and one of its ends intersecting each other at said end of the block, and a vertical groove in the rear face of the block, between the center and opposite end of the block and opening at its upper and lowerends into the said grooves in the top and bottom of the block.

l. In wall construction, a wall comprising main wall blocks and corner blocks, said blocks being of rectangular formation and each mainwall block being provided in its top, bottom and end faces with grooves continuous with each other and intersecting each other at the corners of the block, and each corner block having its top and bottom faces and one of its end faces provided with grooves intersecting at such end face of the block, said bottom and top grooves being closed at the opposite end of the block, and each corner block being provided in its rear face with a vertical groove lying between its transverse center and the latter-named end of the block, said vertical groove being in direct communication at its upper and lower ends through lateral passages with the adjacent ends of the top and bottom grooves of the block. i

In testimony whereof I afHX my signature.

KURT BADER. 

